HAVANA, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Cuba's foreign ministry on Thursday roundly condemned the resolution by the Organization of American States (OAS) against Venezuela and reiterated its firm support to the government of President Nicolas Maduro.
The ministry's director general for Latin America and the Caribbean, Eugenio Martinez, denounced the resolution at a press conference as "unacceptable meddling in the internal affairs...of Venezuela."
The OAS on Tuesday passed a resolution to call an extraordinary assembly to vote on suspension of Venezuela's membership. The resolution was passed as 19 member states of the OAS general assembly voted in favor, four against and 11 abstained.
The Cuban official said that "the adopted resolution does not contribute to dialogue in Venezuela", saying the pressures being exerted by various OAS members are impeding the chance of a deal between the Venezuelan government and opposition.
Martinez underlined that "the United States does not have the moral authority, and neither does the tarnished Organization of American States, to give lessons in democracy and human rights."
Cuba was part of the OAS when it was created in 1948 before being kicked out in 1962 at the behest of the United States, which opposed the government of Fidel Castro.
In 2009, the OAS lifted Cuba's suspension but the country has refused to return to the group.